After hearing her music, I was immediately impressed with her
influences, which she wears on her sleeve on every track. It wasn’t long before
I purchased her album Sold My Soul
on her website, which she kept on pushing me to get, so I guess you can say I
gave in. I haven’t regretted the purchase since. The album features Laura on
vocals and guitar.
The album starts off with All Alone, a fast paced almost punk style track. The energy and
simplicity remind me of The Runaways.
This fast punk style isn’t really heard again on the album except for the track
Nothing Back.
The song most promoted from the album is the title track Sold My Soul. This track is a slower paced
dirty hard rocker that’s basically about her move to the USA and her experience
touring. The song never captured me the way it seems to have caught most of her
other fans, but I can see what is likable about the track. It is sleazy and
badass in its own right. Anything Goes
and Love Buyer, both heard later in
the album, have the same feeling, I think due in most part to the clapping
heard in the background. All three songs are heavily guitar driven and very
easy to sing along to.
The first time on the album that Laura really impresses me
with her song writing is on the song Freeek!
The song starts off slower than the albums previous two tracks, kind of calm
and creepy with a hypnotizing bass riff heard throughout, only to pick up in its
intensity.
Laura continues to change up song styles with Irate. This song has a good punk feel
to it, but one thing I can’t help but notice is the sound of a psychedelic
styled organ, giving the song a neo-60’s feel. The songs consistent mid-fast pace
makes the tune a great driving song, if I may say so.
The album has a couple of slower tracks, both of which sound
somewhat different from each other, the first of these tracks being For You. This song isn’t a ballad, it
is still rather heavy and angry to be one, but it is definitely the softest
moment of the album so far to this point. The song is another great guitar
track from the album, harmonizing guitars and adding in acoustic guitar at very
appropriate moments. Classical Guitar
Star, is another slow and soft moment on the album. Laura does a good job
at writing a nice simple track from the standpoint of the fan of a musician.
The album ends with my personal favourite, Angel. This track brings back the punk
style, thanks to the abundance of bass guitar heard, but it’s not as fast as
songs like All Alone and Nothing Back. I enjoy how the album ends
with similar intensity as it started, bringing the album full circle and
leaving its listeners wanting more.
If there’s one complaint at all, it is that the songs are so
darn short. The longest song on the album is four minutes, and six of the songs
are under three minutes, one of those being under two minutes! It doesn’t make
the album worse or better, if anything it makes me want more. I’m not sure if
that was Laura’s intention, but if it was, well done.
This is an album for hard rock fans. It’s not a heavy metal
album, but it’s not a pop album. It’s not alternative in any way whatsoever; it
is just straight up hard rock, with a guitar player, a bass player, a drummer
and a singer. In previous articles I’ve mentioned that more music today needs simplicity
in this fashion. According to her website, Laura will be writing and recording
a new album by the year’s end. Some “exciting guests” are slated to make
appearances, and she’s expected to be writing a few tracks with Geezer Butler, which goes to show the
reach she has gained in the rock world. I see nothing but a positive future for
Laura Wilde.
ALBUM HIGHLIGHT
“Back Seat” – The song is the highlight
because I find it to be the most accessible song to listen to that demonstrates
Laura’s style. It has a sleazy badass guitar riff heard slightly hidden in the
background. It isn’t fast, but it isn’t slow, and her vocals on this song are probably
the best out of any song on the album. It’s hard to say which song on the album
is the best guitar song. I wouldn’t say this is the best guitar track on the
album, but it is among the songs I would let someone listen to in order to
convince them that Laura can play as well as anyone.
FINAL RATING
8 (Out of 10)
Track List:
1.
|
All Alone
|
2:42
|
2.
|
Back Seat
|
2:23
|
3.
|
Freeek!
|
3:54
|
4.
|
Irate
|
2:55
|
5.
|
Back Seat
|
3:05
|
6.
|
For You
|
4:00
|
7.
|
Anything Goes
|
3:19
|
8.
|
Classical Guitar Star
|
2:50
|
9.
|
Nothing Back
|
1:55
|
10.
|
Love Buyer
|
3:00
|
11.
|
Angel
|
2:23
|
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